Cafe Boulud seems to have become the place for the most frequent family dinners on the UES. It was one of the first places I dined when I moved to NYC longer ago than I care to admit, and is just as solid as it was back then.
seafood ceviche – shrimp, scallop, tomato, yucca
beef duo “makgalbijjim” – braised shortrib, wagyu bavette, housemade kimchee
Running right off of the plate….
madelines
Bar Marco
So glad to finally make it to Bar Marco which has been on my to-do list for ages it seems. This was an absolutely lovely brunch. Plenty of eggs and enough beans and greens that I did not feel too badly about it afterwards. And perhaps my new favorite brunch cocktail!
tiber fizz – gin, lemon, st. germain, egg white, red wine
a.m. salad – red leaf, purple potato, bacon, egg
beans and greens – kale, cannellini, egg, parmigiano, meatballs
quiche – foraged mushrooms, herbs, ricotta
Tako
This may be the most perfect slushy drink ever.
Squeal Mountain – tequila, green chartreuse, yellow chartreuse, Mountain Dew, herbs
Butcher and the Rye
Steel City certainly is fond of its very dark restaurants. Another night of poor quality photos and extremely high quality food. From the second floor we had this fantastic view down to the bar. The portion sizes certainly were larger than they appear and larger than I am used to. The lamb neck is definitely one of the best lamb dishes I had in 2016. Actually this was a meal of many of my favorite things – the Lion’s Tail cocktail, brussels, farro and lamb. Kind of perfect.
Lion’s Tail’s
Cauliflower – roasted farro, carrots, pine nuts, brown butter, harissa yogurt
Caesar – kale, compressed tomatoes, parmesan, anchovy garlic bread, caesar dressing
Smoked lamb neck – sumac & black pepper, spicy greens & beans, marinated feta, mint chimichurri
Brussels – brown butter, dill, parmigiano reggiano, preserved lemon aioli
We loved everything about Morcilla except the noise level. The lighting was not conducive to photography but these dishes were far far better than they may look here. I thought that we would be taking much of the “All of the Meats,” and enormous platter of charcuterie, with us but we finished it all. Absolutely fantastic. As were the gin & tonics. Working my way through the Bon Appetit best new restaurant’s list never disappoints.
Sardinas Picantonas – preserved sardines in hot sauce
Who Cooks for You Farm “Rocky Balboa” Salad – smoked goat cheese, asian pear, toasted pistachio, concord grape vinaigrette
All of the Meats
Churro de Calabaza – roasted pumpkin churro, tomato membrillo, manchego, vadouvan curry
Cordero En Morena – Jamison farm spiced lamb meatballs, sumac yogurt, golden raisin and leek escabeche
If there wasn’t always a wait I would be at Wildair every night. Actually even if I just lived in the neighborhood I would be here every night regardless. I am pretty sure I could never get tired of the spicy tuna toast which was one of my favorite dishes of 2016. A previous iteration I reordered for dessert. Yes it is that good. I just wish the secret wasn’t out.
Potato darphin, maine uni, jalapeno
Breakfast radishes, seaweed butter
Fluke crudo, pineapple, ‘nduja
Beef tartare, smoked cheddar, brazil nuts
Spicy tuna toast, tomato, scallion
Crispy grain salad, hearts of palm, tarragon
For some reason I don’t think I had the same experience at High Street on Hudson that many others have had. My appetizer of smoked bluefish on toast was quite tasty but I couldn’t detect even a hint of horseradish, which is why I had ordered the dish. And while the happy valley beef was a great piece of meat, the promised chilies were also undetectable. The desert I ordered seemed so promising as how could anything with a snickerdoodle be less than amazing? Yet it was underwhelming as well. I would certainly give it another shot but with so many choices in NY perhaps my expectations are always too high and this just seemed average.
Smoked bluefish on toast – cucumber, radish, horseradish cream cheese
Happy valley beef – late summer squash, chilies
Peaches pecan – snickerdoodle, buttermilk ice cream
mfk.
Yet another fantastic brunch at mfk. I am always baffled as to why this place is not packed at this time of day. Chicago friends you really need to put it in regular rotation!
ceviche, poblano guacamole, squid ink tostada
shrimp and cucumber aguachile, jicama, avocado
chioggia beets, basil, aged goat cheese, orange yogurt
roasted and chilled cauliflower, almond, red onion, xato
pqm bread service, caramelized shallot butter, radishes
seafood fideous, toasted vermicelli, piperade, saffron
albondigas pork & veal, grana padano polenta, tomato jam
Next: French Laundry
Having the Next French Laundry menu to look forward to helped me to get past the letdown of my French Laundry meal a week before being over. Its amazing that the dishes on this menu are 20 years old. They are delicious and still completely relevant. The French Laundry influenced dozens of chefs since it opened and fine dining has evolved in many ways. I love the evolution but at the same time I would eat these dishes everyday if I could. This was absolutely lovely and one of reasons I love Next for allowing me to experience what was before my time.
cornet of atlantic salmon
carrot soup
black trumpet mushroom soup
gulf shrimp and avocado salsa
blinis with peppers and bottarga
barbecue eel with sesame and yuzu
salmon chop
black truffle custard
oysters and pearls – sabayon of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters and golden osetra caviar
tomato salad – yellow tomato sorbet, basil infused oil and brioche crouton
agnolotti – butternut squash, quince and madras curry
pompano “amandine” – orzo, pole beans and preserved meyer lemon
atlantic cod – clam chowder, celery and bacon
sweet butter poached lobster – pommes maxim, melted leeks and beet essence
five-spiced lobster – port poached figs and moulard duck foie gras
“roulade” of duck breast – creamed white corn, huckleberries and chanterelle mushrooms
rabbit “saddle” – applewood smoked bacon with pruneaux d’agen, caramelized fennel and fennel oil
“pot au feu” – beef short rib with root vegetables and sauteed bone marrow
lamb – thyme, tarragon and dried beans
chaource – red plums, chive oil and lolla rossa
roquefort – trifle with french butter pear relish
“verjus” sorbet – peach butter and mint infused oil
“coffee and donuts” – cappuccino semifreddo with cinnamon sugar donuts
mignardises
I started with more than 60 and have narrowed it down as much as possible. In no particular order here are my top dishes of 2016, whatever ‘top’ means on any such lists. Largely these dishes are not representative of my favorite meals of 2016 and many are from what I would consider casual restaurants. They may not all be the best dishes technically but are the dishes that I could eat every day and often have cravings for. In the interest of fairness of I have disqualified the Au Cheval burger, the Humm Dog, Black Truffle Explosion, and Oysters & Pearls as well as all bread courses.
balsamic, truffle, artichoke
Luskus with Kitchen Table @ Bubbledogs
New York
osetra – plantain, papaya, rum
Alinea
Miami
elvis tartine
Eating House
Miami
beef crudo
Momofuku Nishi
New York
farm egg baked in celery cream
Miller Union
Atlanta
foie gras and truffle macaroon
Osteria Francescana
Modena
sheep’s milk gnocchi
Jockey Hollow
Morristown, NJ
passionfruit semifreddo
Contra @ Gramercy Tavern
New York
carolina gold rice
Roister
Chicago
okonomiyaki
Xiao Bao Biscuit
Charleston
snap pea sushi
Olmsted
New York
pike quenelle
nam tok beans
Kin Khao
San Francisco
spicy tuna toast
Wildair
New York
ko egg
Momofuku Ko
New York
general tso fried chicken
Chaan Teng
New York
The dining room at Smyth is one of my favorites of the year. Perfectly informal is the best description that I can come up. It is inviting in the same way Noma felt to me, as if you are at a dinner party hosted by a friend with an amazing house and decorator. The highlights for me were the brioche donut of sorts fried in beef fat (extras should be offered for a supplement…please?) and the outstanding dessert of egg yolk soaked in salted licorice with yogurt meringue. I’m looking forward to checking out the Loyalist downstairs later this month!
The farm potato
Tomato ice, seaweed, oyster
Smoked & dried beet with scallop
A salad of duck and herbs with roasted squid
Dungeness crab & foie gras with scrambled kani miso
Aged carrot roasted
beef and brioche
Squab, pineapple sage, grapes and peas
Slow cooked saddle of lamb with kelp marmite
Milk chocolate, huckleberries, and preserved shiitake mushroom
Sage honey tart
Egg yolk soaked in salted licorice with yogurt meringue
Frozen tomato mousse, noyaux, and spicy flowers
Au Cheval
Of course now that United’s fares from EWR to ORD have been cut in half there is talk of Au Cheval coming to New York. This burger was my reward for the dozens and dozens of trips I have made to Chicago, especially those early morning flights to be there by 11am when it opens for lunch.
Roister
A seat at the hearth at Roister may be my new favorite place in Chicago. In a way the plating is deceiving as some of these dishes are dark and are not necessarily made for today’s instagram age. And while looks can be deceiving, menu descriptions can be as well. Oysters are one of the very few foods that I genuinely dislike. I have been trying to train myself to like them for 2 years now but was set back by an unfortunate episode of food poisoning. When Chef Brochu kindly sent out a gift of the smoked oysters my stomach sank. I was dining with my mother, the only person I know who dislikes oysters more than I do, and who would be of no help in eating these. I made her try one and she admitted it wasn’t bad at all (which is a very high compliment). I happily ate the rest as they were completely delicious. I love having my mind changed about an ingredient. The fries I likely would not have ordered myself as bonito and tofu are not ingredients I particularly enjoy but a friend ordered them on a previous visit and I had to have them again. Then there is the chicken that I still think about. The leftovers are the first thing I have ever taken in a doggie bag from any meal while traveling. I cleaned out half of the hotel mini bar and we ate the rest for breakfast. It may have been even better.
Tomato bread – mayo, shallot, pecan oil
Aged cheddar rillettes – truffle, cauliflower, fry bread
Chow chow mein – aged cabbage, noodles, relish
Cucumber – melon, smoked creme fraiche
Smoked oysters – garlic butter, breadcrumbs
Yukon fries – soy dusted, bonito flakes, tofu mayo
Whole chicken & chamomile – braised, poached, fried with sunchokes
Hushpuppies – corn crema, sour corn, manchego
After driving in endless circles to find parking, and then waiting in line to enter, I was cutting it very close to make my flight. I forgot to take a photo of the menu and pretty much inhaled my lunch. But it was absolutely fantastic and should be your go-to spot if you don’t need to deal with parking and especially if you live in the neighborhood. The salad contained all of my favorite ingredients and even when I was full I could not bear to leave any of the delicious bread.
I had no idea that a 3 Michelin star restaurant could be so polarizing. I dined at Meadowood in close proximity to several friends whose opinions I trust and had most to all of the same dishes I had. They loved it, yet I was completely disappointed. I utterly disliked many of the dishes and the menu as a whole. To start with the positives, the eggplant foster was absolutely amazing. And the squab and pasta courses I wished were 3 times as large. But the menu overall was just too many soft textures with no contrast. A few things like this may have been fine, but far too many dishes could have qualified as baby food. Teeth not necessary. The braised cucumber in a damp rye is definitely the worst bread course I have had this year. I suppose I just didn’t get it but nothing about this was a good idea. Fermented squash juice squeezed over halibut sounded somewhat awful but was just completely flavorless. And broth has to be the worst trend of the past few years. I was so excited when lamb arrived but it was so fatty that I couldn’t find one decent bite of meat. Not even a final bite of babka could save this dinner. I wanted to love it and I will note that service was impeccable but I guess its just not for me.
okra flower
oyster okra seed caviar
eel smoked over cabernet staves beef tongue
braised cucumber rye dried albacore
tomato clam caviar
roasted gwen avocado walnut oil
sunflower pasta spot prawn chanterelle
halibut fermented squash
steamed potato cod purslane brandade
coal seared squab berries mustard
lamb broth
lamb plum pestled marigold
buffalo milk yogurt cultured with rose overripe melon
eggplant foster
candied peaches
chocolate babka
With apologies to my still single friends and family, I fear that any wedding I attend in the future will be a disappointment. This was exactly what I would want for my own wedding, but since it has already been done I suppose I will have to stick to my Carrie Bradshaw city hall plan. Everything about this day was completely perfect from the weather to the ceremony in the courtyard, to the salmon cornets that I sadly have no photos of. And of course being lucky enough to have such amazing friends who let me be a part of their wedding party. While I had high expectations, serving an entire restaurant at once is challenging and I anticipated some service hiccups. However I could not have been more impressed. I would never have known that this was a wedding and not just a regular dinner or lunch service. Service was just completely impeccable. The food certainly was as well, so much so that I still cannot pick my favorite course. The classics are classics for a reason. Oysters and pearls, the hen egg custard and coffee & donuts will never ever get old. The others were equally as good. And when was the last time anybody had a memorable wedding cake? After two decades TFL is as good as ever and is further evidence that so many ‘best’ restaurant lists are pretty useless.
“Oysters and Pearls”
“Sabayon” of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters and white sturgeon caviar
Hen Egg Custard
with a ragout of Perigord truffles
Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras “Rillette”
piedmont hazelnut “Genoise,” Yountville figs, watercress and concord grape jelly
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Poached Gulf Coast Cobia
stewed garden squash, fino verde basil, nicoise olives and french vermouth
“Beets and Leeks”
Alaskan king crab, slow roasted beets, horseradish scented leek “mousseline” and garden sorrel
Cornbread Stuffed Thomas Farm Squab
brentwood corn, hominy, applewood smoked bacon, black winter truffle and “sauce mignonette”
Charcoal Grilled Snake River Farms “Calotte de Boeuf”
roasted garden eggplant, lobster mushrooms, ginger scented broccoli pure, crispy barley and miso “hollandaise”
“Manchego”
Schmitt family farm apples, marcona almonds and buttered shortbread
Lemon Coconut Cake
K&J Orchards peaches and nectarine sorbet
Coffee and Donuts
A completely fantastic first night in Napa. A unique concept for the area, gorgeous space and fantastic company.
iberico de bellota pork, spiced vietnamese caramel, kimchee
head on prawns, charred lime, sudachi salt
fried forbidden rice, lap cheong, sunny side up egg, chili oil
chicken meatballs, green onions, hoisin
savory japanese pancake, green onion, sambal mayo
barely cooked king salmon, myoga, pickled negi, chilled dashi gel
“chips n dip” pickled plum kewpie mayo
“radishes and butter” dashi compressed radishes, roasted nori goat milk butter
lotus root kimchee
hirame sashimi, cucumber, compressed melon
japanese green tea soft serve ice cream, ginger crumbles
black sesame soft serve ice cream, roasted plum
Kin Khao
Months later I wish I could rewind and do over this day. I love everything about Kin Khao and would be quite happy to eat here on every single trip to San Francisco. There are few places where I eat past the point of being full because I literally cannot stop.
Pak Pow – lager, appleton reserve rum, allspice dram, ginger, lemon, nutmeg
Nam Tok Beans – ayocote morado beans tossed isaan-style with lime, chili, rice powder, light soy, shallots, scallions, mint, cilantro
Som Tum Papaya Salad – spicy chili lime fish sauce dressing, green beans, cherry tomatoes, dried shrimp, peanuts
Pad Kee Mao – spicy stir-fried drunken noodles with ground pork, rice noodles, garlic, birds eye chili, onions, bell peppers, holy basil
Khao Mun Gai – chicken fat rice, ginger-poached chicken, served with pim’s secret sauce and a cup of chicken broth
The Progress
It took me far too long to get to the Progress. As I knew I would, I loved everything about it. The space is gorgeous, service is fantastic, and all of the food as excellent as expected. But now I a torn and I see Progress/State Bird double dinners in my future.
(Apologies for the caption-less photos which is what happens when it takes me too long to update this blog.)
melon with sesame & dukkah, zucchini bread with pickled carrot creme fraiche, fried pickles with buttermilk & smoked hot sauce, claim cocktail with avocado & seven pepper cracker
pig’s head charcuterie, korean melon, fish sauce & chiles
hog island sweetwaters, yuzu pickled local nori
In Situ
I have to admit that when I first read about in Situ I didn’t get the concept at all and I really had no interest in going. A restaurant based on reproducing dishes of various chefs from around the world seemed almost like a fad. But I wasn’t considering the setting and when I finally visited it all made perfect sense. In Situ is located in the SF Museum of Modern Art and it is actually the absolute perfect museum restaurant as it is own museum of rotating dishes from famous chefs and restaurants around the world spanning decades. The dishes themselves are classic and are faithfully reproduced. Now I just need to dig back to that old photo of the Clove Club chicken.
Buttermilk fried chicken & pine salt – Isaac McHale, The Clove Club
Summery warm tomato & basil tart – Michel Guerard, Les Pres d’Eugenie
Ketchup fried rice – Roy Choi, LA Son
Aaxte
As our first stop of the evening we sadly had to limit what we ordered. But I will definitely be back for a full dinner. An adorable place, excellent service, and some shrimp that I could eat everyday.
Louie’s Gen Gen Room
I didn’t have time to try Lilhio Yacht Club on this trip unfortunately but did have a chance to check out this recently opened subterranean cocktail spot below it. The space is adorable and the drinks bright and refreshing. The abbreviated food menu contains a large number of waffle options. A strange choice I initially thought but they were far better than I expected.
Lord Stanley
It was quite late by San Fran standards by the time we reached Lord Stanley and I felt badly that they allowed such a late reservation as we were the last table seated. I don’t think I really appreciated how good this dinner was until the next day. The vegetable preparations are really fantastic and refreshingly different. The eggplant accompanying my lamb was hands down the best I have ever had. It has never been one of my favorites and was completely transformed. I”m looking forward to a return trip for the tasting menu. Indeed one of the best new restaurants in America!
Onion petals with sherry vinegar
Grilled trumpet mushrooms, garlic and almond
Wagyu beef tartar with chanterelle and summer truffle
Sweet potato with shemeji, horseradish creme fraiche and nasturtium
Lamb loin and belly with charred eggplant, black olive and lemon
I knew that my first trip to the newly renovated Alinea would feel very strange but I was hoping that the Miami pop-up would have somewhat prepared me. I tried my best to be in the moment and not compare to the past. But while I understand the desire and need for change, as I rearranged my bedroom constantly as a kid, I still love the old space. I think it is much better to experience the Gallery without knowing what to expect so I am going to keep this very brief. I will say that it started off amazingly well, as all good things should, with caviar and champagne. Looking through my pictures and thinking back through all of these courses, this was a much much better meal than I may have given it credit for at the time. But I attribute that to my consistent feeling of immediate depression whenever a meal at Alinea ends. The redesigned table dessert course was fantastic and someday I hope to live in a home with a wall worthy of a Thomas Masters piece.
Communal – osetra, king crab, condiments
Shaker – gin, green tomato, chartreuse
Roll – cucumber, feta, caper leaf
Paper – scallop, corn, butter
Crunch – shio kombu, nori
Contrast – tomato, watermelon, parmesan
Sangre – blood peach, green peanut, iberico
Swirl – apple, yuzu, lemon verbena
Fry – icefish, daisy mandarin, radish
Yellow – pork belly, curry, banana
Glass – maitake, blueberry, lapsang souchong
Petal – onion, purple allium, black pepper
Toast – gruyere, black truffle, pumpernickel
Bon Bon – mango, almond, cinnamon
Chicken – palo santo, pineapple, mezcal
Bone – wagyu, rice, myoga
Cloche – cheeks, chamomile, melon
Nostalgia – fennel, dark chocolate, lemon, strawberry
Paint – cherry, white chocolate, bourbon
Gold – sesame, brown butter, feuilletine
I may have gotten to Mimi too late. Not because I didn’t want to visit but I just hadn’t been able to find a date that worked. Perhaps I waited too long. There is much to love about Mimi. In my case the veal and the souffle that I can’t stop thinking about. Unfortunately those thoughts came in retrospect as while at Mimi the noise was so deafening that I had thoughts of just abandoning the whole thing. It wouldn’t have mattered who my dining companion was as it was impossible to carry on a conversation. The table spacing takes NYC to a new extreme and makes using the restroom nearly impossible for half of the party. We ordered much more than the tables on either side of us but before we hit the 2 hour mark were being given not so subtle ‘time to leave’ looks by our server. I so want to return for the food but I’m not sure yet if I can do it.
Casco bay scallops
Tuna Ventreche
Gnocchi Parisian
Veal Chop
Souffle
As seems to happen at least once a month I somehow did not note descriptions of any of these dishes. Perhaps because we sat at the bar and ordered a dish or two at a time, or perhaps because we had original intentions of only a snack but everything was so good that we kept ordering. Everytime I come here I think that it gets better and better. The burger was absolutely killer and I do not say that lightly (despite the non-Heinz ketchup on the side).
I really wish that I had discovered Bar Gato before everybody else. It completely stands out in NYC and just happened to be the perfect antidote to this less than perfect day. The cocktails were thoughtful and delicious. And the okonomi-yaki was completely different from the last version of this I had elsewhere but good enough that I ate the whole thing myself.
Far East Side – sake, tequila, shiso, elderflower, lemon, yuzu bitters
Goto pickles – house pickled local vegetables, yuzu-green chili paste
Gobo french fries – fried japanese burdock roots, red chili salt & wasabi salt
Okonomi-yaki
Sadly I ended up sick in the middle of this meal after battling a migraine and did not make it to dessert. The evening is consequently a bit of a blur but from what I remember this summer menu was lovely.
Caviar, buttermilk-chive panna cotta and tomato coulis
Madai sashimi, summer radish and nasturtium vinaigrette
Charred corn ravioli, cherry tomato salad and basil fondue
Black sea bass, purple potato butter and charred poblano peppers
Steamed summer squash and lobster, black truffle and lemon dressing
Fragrant spiced-lava lake lamb chop, cucumber yogurt and herbs
A lesson in why to never go anywhere on opening weekend. Despite what I had read, I found the layout to be completely confusing and I backtracked several times trying to find certain sections. Some of the space already felt beat up with scuff marks on the walls. And the size and design of the bathrooms was truly horrible.
I perhaps made poor menu choices, especially with the mystery crudo which was an insulting $2.80 per poorly cut piece.
pesce crudo
mozzarella classica with basil pesto
There was no menu and I did not take notes so unfortunately 2 months later I can’t remember what most of these were aside from the somewhat obvious. NYC is becoming awash in omakase these days and it seems that many people I talk to feel passionate about one particular place, although often it seems to be just the latest opening. I’m not sure that Sushi Zo is my favorite although I can find nothing negative to say. The fish was impeccable and service flawless. Just minor points of personal preference, such as more varied beverage choices, elsewhere.
I may have arrived soaking wet but I am so glad that I braved the elements for this winemaker dinner at Rebelle. I have been trying to get to one of these since they started but the dates never seem to work out. Luckily this one did and I could not pass up a chance to catch Abe Schoener and try so many Scholium wines in one sitting. In this setting Abe’s past life in academia shines through in fantastic stories about each of the wines and incredibly interesting tidbits of information on California wine history. I am looking forward to more wine dinners at Rebelle but the bar may have been set too high.
blossom beignet
squash and scallop
beet and green
quail and currants
comte
I swore I was going to cease Nico Osteria posts as there are already too many of them and it is well established as one of my favorites in Chicago. But evidently I can’t stop plus there were many new menu items. We loved the new formaggi dish that we tried and the burrata salad I have admittedly had again since this particular visit!
Aperol spritz
Gorgonzola cremificato – cows milk, financier biscotti, apple, blueberry balsamic
Madai snapper – kohlrabi salsa verde, basil & wild king salmon – fermented chile, black lava salt, cherry
Burrata – mission figs, grilled kale, treviso, pecan pesto, flat iron steak
Tanta
I have craved ceviche almost every day since this lunch at Tanta. Thankfully it is finally fall as I never found anything that was a good substitute.
Tiradito cremoso cebiche – salmon, scallop emulsion, avocado, cherry tomato, chalaca, olive oil
Cebiche nikei – ahi tuna, tamarind-sesame oil leche de tigre, cilantro, habanero, cucumber, avocado, nori
Off menu!
Choclo – grilled with anticuchera, rocoto huancaina, fresh cheese
Super soltero – wheat, chickpea escabeche, cilantro, mint, parsley, queso fresco, cucumber, onions, mixed greens
Honey’s
I had Honey’s on my radar well before it opened but then did not read too much about it post opening so did not have any idea what to expect. Sometimes it is best to be pleasantly surprised. With a large group we we able to try most of the menu. Beautiful presentations and all successful and delicious dishes (with the exception of the very salty quinoa). Of course the downside of our large group was then apparent as second bites were unfortunately not possible. A fantastic space with an absolutely gorgeous bar taking up most of the front room. Congrats on all of the shining reviews!
marinated bay scallop – white gazpacho, grilled peach, apple, sorrel
hamachi – cucumber, grape, finger lime, verjus, pickled onion
spit roasted cauliflower – bread crumb, smoked giardiniera, basil
lamb tartare – shaved artichoke, cherry, black garlic mustard, crispy sunchoke
squid ink orecchiette – calamari, shrimp, octopus, pesto, mint, pine nuts
swiss chard – bagna cauda, fried shallots
rainbow trout – charred eggplant, roasted corn succotash, bacon, pea shoots
quinoa tabbouleh – lemon pistachio vinaigrette
grilled striploin – pommes dauphine, rapini, romesco, charred scallion
buckwheat pasta a la chitarra – morel mushrooms, thyme butter, pecorino, bread crumb
bass – brandade, pipperade, braised fennel
The Office
Unfortunately the power was out due to some crazy storms and a blown transformer. But if this is what camping looks like, I’ll take it!
Marta is yet another great place that I seem to keep forgetting about even though each time I am here I love the food even if service can often be spotty. As somewhat of an expert on farro salads, this version was absolutely fantastic and is easily a dish that I could eat everyday. And yes I ate the whole pizza by myself. Don’t judge.
Insalata di farro – farro piccolo, grilled summer beans, sweet peppers, pecorino
Salsiccia – pork sausage, cremini mushrooms, pecorino
Jaleo
I happened to find myself on this block around lunch time and as somehow I had never previously visited Jaleo, decided it was a perfect time. The G&T was exactly right for this exceedingly hot day even by DC standards. And the two salads I ordered made for the perfect summer lunch. Unfortunately I seem to have forgotten to take notes on the menu. Heatstroke perhaps?
Pineapple and Pearls
There was so much that I absolutely loved about Pineapple and Pearls even though I did not walk away with the same effusive comments as many reviewers have had. Even in seemingly well designed dining rooms I tend to not take notice unless there is something exceptional and too many these days tend to be on the generic side. This room is easily my favorite that I have been in this year and I wanted to take almost every element home with me, from chairs to lighting fixtures to the flatware (which will be on my Christmas list this year). It was a perfect mix of modern and mid-century modern and so well done that you could not stop looking at each element.
The fennel & absinthe one-bite bonbon started the dinner off on an excellent foot and a beautiful vintage coupe glass certainly did not hurt. The subsequent 3 small bites were all fantastic and even the oyster I actually very much liked and they are not one of my favorite foods. So much thought was put into the bread course that instead of being a side actually it was its own course and worthy of being such. The egg drop soup and summer red curry were perhaps too many soups for a mid-summer menu, and while both were very good, were not great.
Upon arrival at Pineapple and Pearls guests are offered a welcome cocktail in the entry space which serves as a daytime coffee shop serving a lunch menu. On the lunch menu, posted boldly on the wall, was fried chicken and after standing there for 5 minutes looking at the menu fried chicken was all that I could think about. Absolutely brilliant to have a take out box in which was found a quite ‘dinner’ upscale version of a fried chicken wing. The desserts were all excellent and as a whole far overshadowed the main courses of the menu. The only slight disappointment were the donuts provided to go which were unfortunately stale by morning. However the shortbread and cold brew coffee were a perfect breakfast snack and a lovely reminder of the previous night’s dinner. The other quibble I had is that pours on drink pairings were very sparse. I was trying to drink slowly to make small pours last through multiple courses but it was never slowly enough. I couldn’t help but feel that I would have gladly paid for an additional glass of wine or two.
Fennel & Absinthe Bonbon
Asparagus, Pineapple & Country Ham
Baby Elotes
Oysters & Vodka
Black Pepper Pain Au Lait
Green Garlic Egg Drop
Fluke “Veronique”
Sweetbread Stuffed Chicken Wing
Summer Red Curry & Coconut Rice
Strawberry Shortcake & Brillat-Savarin
Coffee Kakigori
Crispy Buckwheat & Honeycomb Ice Cream
Chocolate Souffle
While I don’t agree with the recent assertions that Washington DC is the restaurant city of the year, it very well may be the most improved. After a very long and stressful work day Kinship provided a calm oasis in an extremely well designed space that did make me think “Am I really in DC?” Overall a very solid meal with some unexpected and creative menu items like the lobster french toast which was certainly a loose interpretation but delicious. My only small complaint would be that the amount of dashi gelee overwhelmed the tuna tataki but once I pushed the majority of it aside, a delicious dish. If I lived in the neighborhood exactly the type of place where I would want to be a regular.
Yellowfin tuna tataki – spring onion and butter pickle salad, shiso tempura and dashi broth
Pan seared redfish – shrimp and ham hock jambalya
Sauteed atlantic halibut – spring asparagus, royal trumpets, potato confit and tarragon-asparagus emulsion
Parker house rolls
Beef rib eye
Lobster french toast
Clocktower
It has been quite a while since I have dined at Clocktower so I was looking forward to the opportunity for a return visit. My last few times were for drinks only as there is no dining allowed at the bar (which I still do not understand). While the cherry tomato salad was very good, and I can’t believe I am about to complain about a portion size being too large, I was suffering from tomato fatigue by the time I finished. Of course avocado toast is overdone, but its so good when done well and I rarely have the willpower to pass it up on a menu. But in a city awash in much better versions, this one was anemic and overall quite sad. Thank god for the brittle and shortbread that appeared with the check. Two of my favorite sweets of all time.
Heirloom cherry tomato, Brooklyn burrata, sourdough, basil
Avocado on toast, poached eggs
Le Coucou
Le Coucou may very well be my favorite restaurant opening of 2016 thus far. Impeccable but incredibly friendly service. Gorgeous dining room. Properly spaced tables. Energetic yet you are easily able to carry on conversation without yelling or struggling to hear. Perhaps the first NY restaurant in ages that I would take my parents to. And really really great food. In a day of double Stephen Starr an experience worlds away from brunch. The rabbit could easily be for 2 and the proper cheese course impossible to turn down.
Salade de homard, sauce lauris
lobster tail, basil, tomato, sauce lauris
Quenelle de brochet, sauce americaine
pike quenelle, lobster sauce
Tout le lapin
all of the rabbit
Cheese (obviously)
Nomad Bar
Of course there had to be pre-dinner snacks at Nomad Bar. For once I exhibited a bit of willpower and did not have the hotdog so I could chalk this up as a success or a failure.
Beef and tuna tartares
Olmsted
I followed Olmsted pre-opening as I tend to do every time a chef who has spent time at Alinea opens their own place. A very solid market driven menu and I assume that by now the menu has changed several times over. My favorites were the fried fiddleheads and the snap pea sushi (and no I have never met a pea dish that I didn’t love). If I had one small complaint it would be the 5 pieces of the pretzel puffs for a party of 3. I understand if the serving cannot be adjusted based on the amount of food prepped but if possible I wish we could have the option of paying more to even out the serving size when dishes are pretty much impossible to split up. Well that and that I never saw the awesome Santimetre studio glasses that Chef Achatz had a day later, although other items were fantastic. I’m very much looking forward to a return visit and it takes a lot for me to go to certain neighborhoods. Congrats on all of the recent great press. Extremely well deserved!
Charcuterie Pretzel Puffs
Fried Fiddlehead Ferns
Snap Pea Sushi
Crawfish Boil Crackers
Thai Beet Salad
Grilled Hake, Rhubarb, Brown Butter, Bok Choy
Harbison “Fondue”
Old School Chocolate Mousse, Vanilla Creme Fraiche
Grand Army
I have been meaning to get to Grand Army since it opened and happy to now have another reason to get back to this part of Brooklyn.
Nomad Bar
It wouldn’t be my birthday month without at least one Humm dog would it?
Tuome
Very happy to put Tuome back on my radar after too many months. The dishes that I have had before (Egg and Pig Out) are still outstanding and the watermelon salad had me at farro.
Egg – deviled, crispy, chili
Watermelon – ricotta, farro, chrysanthemum
Tartare – wagu beef, three hour yolk, lemongrass
Snow crab – noodle, summer squash, dashi butter
Pig Out – berkshire pork, spicy peanut noodle
And of course another birthday dessert
Shaya was one of my favorite meals of 2015 so I obviously could not miss the opportunity to have some of Alon Shaya’s food closer to home. It was fantastic although with a limited menu I couldn’t help but feeling that I just wanted to get back to NOLA.
Salatim served with pita bread – Louisiana crab tabouleh, bulgur, mint, tomato; Labneh, hold land trinity; Blackened eggplant salad, tahini, pine nuts
Fried oyster hummus, pecan brown butter
Cochon de lait shakshouka – slow roasted pork, stewed tomatoes, green chili zhoug
Louisiana shrimp – okra, paprikash, jasmine rice
Continuing the month long birthday celebration
I put Gramercy Tavern on the shelf for a few too many years always chasing something new and never going back to too many of the tried and true classics. I’ve recently put it back into rotation although only in the Tavern room. Such was planned for this particular night but when there was a long wait vs. no wait for the dining room my date chose the later. We quickly decided to do the tasting menu and then somehow got to talking and I never even looked at the menu let alone remembered to take a photo. So unfortunately no descriptions. However if Gramercy Tavern has fallen off of your to-do list as well, do yourself a favor and go back asap because it is as fantastic as ever and holds up to anything we are all so intent on booking as soon as it opens.
Sadelle’s is one of my absolute favorite brunch and lunch spots despite the iffy service and hordes of people. But I put off dinner for some time based on the early poor reviews. I went in with low expectations and so was actually pleasantly surprised. The prices seem high especially for presentations that aren’t even worth commenting on. But portion sizes were large and all of the dishes quite good. Unfortunately the large plates and portion sizes do not work with the table sizes and I found myself having to rearrange the entire table quite a few times which has become one of my biggest pet peeves. The twice baked potato was perhaps the best possible version of this classic and may be reason enough for a return dinner visit.
Tuna tartare
Salad
“Kaspia” baked potato
Roumanian steak
Scallops
Yet another great Contra collaboration dinner, this time with Andre Chiang of Restaurant Andre in Singapore. He is fantastic as is his food and I hope to someday make it to Singapore!
Baby mushroom croque en bouche
Oyster, lapsong gelee, peas
Rose champagne, heirloom tomatoes, poisson de roche
King crab, celery sabyon, capers
Elysian fields lamb, scallop lasagna, cresson-wasabe
Quail, fava, cherries
Camembert
It is incredibly sad to be writing this on the day that Two Boroughs Larder is closing. I suppose it is fitting that this was my last meal of a great birthday weekend. I am happy to have visited once and can’t wait to see where Josh Keeler ends up.
TBL charcuterie – pickles, mustard, country bread
Seasonal lettuce – benne seed tahini, meyer lemon, bread crumb
Confit new potato – slow roasted carrot, bordelaise, shallot
Carbonara – bucatini, Neuske’s, english pea, calabrian chile, mint
Leon’s Oyster Shop
We arrived at Leon’s focused on a few dishes from our menu preview. But as I finally am getting to this blog update looking back on the menu I realize that I would love to have absolutely everything right now. I was trying to overdose on peel ‘n eat shrimp this trip and at least in my mind it cancelled out the calories of delicious fish fry. And no, one can never ever have too many hush puppies.
Peel ‘n eat shrimp, old bay, comeback sauce
Hush puppies, honey butter
Char-grilled oysters, lemon, parsley, butter, parmesan
Leon’s fish fry, mixed fry with condiments, hush puppies and pea salad
Kale salad, butternut squash, pepitas, currants, charred lemon, ricotta salata
Edmund’s Oast
If you are a beer drinker and end up in Charleston Edmund’s Oast is definitely a must do. Super interesting beers and I still can’t get over how good the PB&J was. It sounded kind of terrible, and I was incredibly skeptical, but it was fantastic. The PB&J flavor was there but so subtle as was the yeasty flavor of bread. Of everything I had on this trip, that beer was one of the most memorable.
“Gin Joint” style jerky
Pickled vegetables
Beef tartare, tonnato sauce, celery, charred toast
Cauliflower, fresh sheep’s milk cheese, calabrian chile
Peninsula Grill
Following dinner we raced to Peninsula Grill to have a slice of their famous coconut cake before they stopped serving food. I am always skeptical of heavily lauded baked goods and generally am never that impressed. But this cake was insanely good. If I had not exhibited any self control I could have easily finished it (and it was enormous). I am likely ruined for coconut cake forever.
Xiao Bao Biscuit
After several hours of very warm biking around Charleston we made our way to Xiao Bao Biscuit for lunch. The Okonomiyaki lives up to the hype and is completely fantastic. But the pork candy takes it to another level entirely. This stuff is absolutely addicting. I have no idea how it is made, but why is nobody else doing this? Brilliant. Our other dishes were delicious but admittedly overshadowed through no fault of their own.
Okonomiyaki – Japanese cabbage pancake with pork candy
Pad Kra Pow – minced beef, beans, thai chili and basil over rice with farm egg
Bo Bo Ji – Sichuan style chicken, cilantro, scallion & peanut salad over rice with a roasted sesame flavored sauce
Bar at the Spectator
We stayed at the Spectator hotel which I cannot say enough good things about. The rooms were absolutely lovely and the service top notch. Addressing guests by name always makes one feel special and was done in such a warm manner that you immediately felt that you were friends with the entire staff. Room service breakfast was included in the room rate which I thought was a great touch especially as the rates did not seem inflated to compensate and the choices were perfect. Butler service was also provided to all rooms and upon arrival our first butler David took my dress to be steamed and returned not only with my dress, but with a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate my birthday. I would have been quite happy to move in and cannot imagine staying anywhere else in Charleston.
The bar is beautifully decorated and I had read glowing reviews prior to the trip. The cocktails were indeed quite good And as Bravo’s Southern Charm is one of my many guilty pleasures, I was excited to see that Gentry bourbon actually exists and was on the menu.
The Ordinary
I’m still kicking myself for not choosing this for my actual birthday dinner. The Ordinary is housed in an old bank building and it makes me so happy when these structures are re-used. It was my mission to overdose on shrimp this weekend and so it makes an appearance here. An all seafood dinner which at the end of day 2 of Charleston summer temperatures was exactly what I wanted to eat. And a first for me with wahoo crudo which was a lovely dish. Unfortunately I have forgotten the ingredients in our desert but that seems bound to happen to me at least a few times per trip.
Ordinary Hawaiian Rolls, Sea Salt Butter
Peel & Eat Shrimp
Jumbo Lump Blue Crab, Grapefruit, Avocado
Wahoo Crudo, Corn, Summer Truffle
Black Bass Ceviche, Avocado, Cucumber
Steamed Snowy Grouper, Porcini Ragout
The Belmont
A perfect nightcap at the Belmont. Despite the bouncer outside we only had to wait a few minutes to get inside with seats at the bar.
Artisan Meat Share
I am not sure that there could have been a more perfect birthday lunch. I could eat pickles, peas and any sort of charcuterie every day and it would never get old and these versions were fantastic. Midway through dinner I was kicking myself for not just coming back here!
Charcuterie
Pea and peanut salad, green goddess dressing
Bread and butter pickles
Darling Oyster Bar
I should have known better than to pick a relatively new spot for my birthday dinner. I think Darling Oyster Bar has potential and I can’t say that we disliked anything. However the tuna poke was completely devoid of any flavor and the grapes a strange component. But one of my biggest pet peeves transpired when the majority of these dishes were brought at one time and wouldn’t fit on our small 2-top table. I did not care at all in what order these items arrived. However there is no excuse for a server not being able to course them out. I shouldn’t have to juggle plates and inhale last bites just to make room on the table.
Shrimp cocktail
Hush Puppies – Geechie Boy corn meal, sorghum butter
Tuna Poke – white grapes, shoyu, sesame seed
Shrimp & Grits – cheddar grits, crispy brussels, country ham, fennel
Snapper Ceviche – fennel, Cara Cara orange, lime, coriander
The Gin Joint
Certainly this was a must-do stop in the middle of Negroni week!
White negroni and birthday desserts!
A perfect summer evening with tapas outdoors and trying to ignore the traffic on 11th Avenue and transport myself to Spain
Huevo al Diablo – deviled egg, smoked bacalao, roasted pepper
Croqueta de Jamon – Iberico ham croquette, membrilloa
Datiles con Beicon – dates stuffed with almond and Valdeon cheese, wrapped in bacon
Embutidoes
Pidgin
It is difficult to find places in London, as in most European cities, open on a Sunday. So in a way I ended up at Pidgin by default but I am so glad that I did. Somewhat tucked out of the way in a residential neighborhood yet a very quick trip on the commuter rail line. Great service and an unexpectedly fantastic and refined menu. And how have I never had brown butter butter until now???
G&T – ELLC Batch No. 1 gin, Pidgin tonic, grapefruit, black pepper
Broad bean – goat curd, chilli crisp, grapefruit, lardo
Mussels – fries, brewer’s yeast, hops, fennel, sea vegetables
Chicken – miso, asparagus, burnt bread sauce, radish
Sweet cicely – strawberries, pine nut, sorrel
Happiness Forgets
I tried to come here my last trip in London but later in the evening it becomes very crowded. Early evening is the best time to come for a completely different neighborhood bar vibe but with drinks better than at any neighborhood bar.
Nightjar
I finally planned far enough ahead to make a reservation at Nightjar. A very cool space and drink menu. The reservation came with a time limit but when I was seated I was told that I could stay significantly longer before the next reservation. Unfortunately I planned dinner based on the originally quoted time. And while I certainly had time for at least two drinks my server disappeared.
Charlie Chaplin
Chiltern Firehouse
I liked Chiltern Firehouse much more than I was expecting mainly because places better known for celebrity clientele than a celebrity chef are typically mediocre. I wasn’t seated at the chef’s counter as requested but a corner of the regular bar which was actually fine. Service started out incredibly attentive but toward the tail end of dinner I sat without a drink for at least 30 minutes and despite my best efforts could not even make eye contact with a server to order another. The snacks were extremely tasty and it was a nice touch that they were brought out on the house for myself and for a couple beside me who were waiting at the bar for a while past their reservation time. I loved the smoky tartare, a twist that I’m surprised I haven’t seen before. Unfortunately I don’t remember what the desserts were but they were light and perfect for spring. Being made to exit out a back door into an alley was incredibly strange and inconvenient especially as I was in a hotel and my Uber was in front. Although perhaps I was supposed to feel like a celebrity!
Red Riding Crop – gin, Poire Williams, Pimms, cider, pink pepper & rosemary reduction
Mackerel tartare, squid ink cracker
Carrot blunts – smoked yoghurt, coriander
Steak tartare – pine nuts, chipotle & firehouse hot sauce
Maple glazed salmon – lovage, barbecued kohlrabi
Restaurant Story
I am not sure that I can say enough good things about Restaurant Story. I had very much wanted to dine here on my last trip to London but unfortunately could not get a reservation. I am so glad that things worked out this time around and by the following day I was sorry that I had not just booked multiple reservations here. Every dish was absolutely delicious, as well as beautiful, with a perfect casual elegance. I started the meal with one of the best gin & tonic’s I have ever had and for which I have managed to find the proper brands to make it at home (Four Pillars gin & Jack Rudy tonic). The candle placed on the table was actually made of beef fat in which to dunk your bread. Absolutely brilliant. And the picnic cheese course was so inventive and adorable that it was almost impossible to contain a huge grin. And I should not fail to mention impeccable service and great beverage pairings (including the first Mead that I have actually liked). Thus far my most memorable meal of 2016.
Foreward – Snacks
Chapter I – Tomato
Vanilla
Chapter II – Childhood
Bread and dripping
Onion and gin
Heritage potato
Chapter III – Sea
Crab
Scallop
Chapter IV – Land
Herdwick lamb
Chapter V – The end
Picnic
Almond and dill
69 Colebrook
I ordered the Death in Venice not even realizing that I was seated below a poster advertising the same.
Sosharu
I have always had fantastic experiences at Jason Atherton restaurants and so was excited to try Sosharu as soon as it opened. Service started off exceedingly well and I received almost too much attention. However by the time I finished my first cocktail I languished for over 30 minutes not being able to summon a server to order another drink. The things I take for granted in NYC where alcohol sales are necessary to restaurant profits. The open temaki were wonderful and I almost wish I had just ordered a half dozen. A few of the other dishes unfortunately seemed to suffer from lack of seasoning.
Sashimi
Bream sashimi, shichimi crispy potato
Open temaki
Scallops, nori, sweet potato, white ponzu
Pale aubergine, crispy shallots, aka miso glaze, herb salad
I’m not sure that I like Pasquale Jones better than its big brother Charlie Bird but it definitely holds its own. But the addition of very good pizzas, with a crust that is my preferred style, certainly helps. The sugar snap pea salad was absolutely fantastic as was the dessert although I have unfortunately forgotten the description. I accept partial responsibility for how much I disliked the white asparagus dish as I generally do not love it and this was one of my least favorite preparations which is a shame because it could have been infinitely better roasted in the wood burning oven. But slippery trout roe on top of slippery asparagus was extremely challenging to eat, even though this dish was beautiful and an instagram favorite while on the menu.
sugar snap pea, watercress, pecorino & cultured cream
little neck clam pizza, parsley, garlic, lemon & cream
steelhead crudo, breakfast radish & sorrel
white asparagus, nasturtium & trout roe
I didn’t think that we would be able to squeeze in Duck Duck Goat on this trip even though I was eager to try it. Such a fun brunch and very cool space. It was tough to narrow down the things that I wanted on the menu and despite some initial skepticism as to how this concept would work out all of our menu choices were fantastic. I am definitely looking forward to a return trip for dinner.
Steamed barbeque pork buns
Duck tongues
Shrimp toast
Octopus, cucumber and peanut salad
mfk
Each time I have visited mfk I just can’t understand why it is not absolutely packed. Somehow it has remained Chicago’s best kept secret. Suffice it to say I love everything on this menu. Ok maybe not the sardine butter but the ceviche could just keep coming all day long.
braised oxtail & potato croquettes, charred tomato aioli
ceviche, poblano guacamole, squid ink tostada
bread, sardine butter, breakfast radishes
roasted & chilled cauliflower, xato, almond, pickled onion
poached shrimp, green papaya, cucumber, sugar snap peas
seafood fideous, toasted vermicelli, piperade, saffron
Roister
Unfortunately Roister was not yet open for lunch by this trip as I was hoping so we were forced into Plan B which was a Roister and Next doubleheader. Maybe it doesn’t quite count doing the a la carte menu vs. the Roister menu but there always has to be something to strive for the next time (no pun intended). We were not able to order the larger dishes that I wanted the most (actually willing and able but would regret it later on) but I still think that we did pretty well. As Roister seemed to be so long in the making there was a part of me that feared it would fall short of expectations. But of course I should know better. It was exceedingly difficult to not finish absolutely everything and think about anything other than when I could get back here again.
Yukon fries – soy dusted, bonito flakes, rice vinegar, tofu mayo
Baja hiramasa – black sesame, raspberry, tarragon
Grilled asparagus salad – macadamia nut dressing, fennel, rice
Gulf shrimp toast – red crab butter
Carolina gold rice – hoisin glazed carrots, mushrooms, thai basil
Foie gras – black walnuts, pretzel, marshmallow
Strawberries & milk – jam, gummies, shortbread crumb
Green River
We had to exit the West Loop for a bit of the evening to enjoy some fantastic cocktails from the lovely Julia Momose.
Next South America (Peru)
There is not too much I can say about each visit to Next that I haven’t already said before. But this was easily my second favorite of all of the Next menus and if I lived in Chicago I would certainly be back for the other country iterations. This was a completely seamless transition to Chef Tomaska and I can’t wait to see what he does with the next menu.
Raspadilla – chicha morada, cassia, leche
Pisco sour
Ceviche
banana & passionfruit
corn & chocolate
aji
lime & orange
Tiradito
mackerel, kombu, peanut, cactus fruit
Picanteria
casabe, canchita, solterito de queso
empanada, rocoto relleno, anticucho
Alpaca Wool
escabeche de camaron
Sudado
paiche, gooseberry, coconut, pork
Pachamanca
gallina, humita, pina, salsa criolla
Dulces
guava & picarones
chocolate, rhubarb, dulce de leche
Aviary
Because one is never too full for a black truffle explosion.
I have absolutely loved all of the Contra collaboration dinners and this one was no exception. While the floral displays and seasonal decorations at Gramercy Tavern are always stunning, the centerpiece of the large table in the private dining room was exceptional. Looking back at this menu it is very difficult to pick a favorite dish. And in several cases I am not sure which dish was a Contra vs. Gramercy Tavern creation which in my opinion means that this was a very successful collaboration. Also impeccable service by the GT team!
Warm potatoes, mackerel, spruce
Smoked trout & eel consomme, onions
Hake, parsnips, mustard greens
Sweetbreads, asparagus, lobster
Grilled coppa, mushrooms, fresh herbs
Off-menu dessert
Passionfruit semifreddo, wildflower honey, spruce
Strawberries, sour milk ice cream
Like so many others I had wanted to go to Volt since the Voltaggio brothers came onto my radar on Season 6 of Top Chef. It seemed unlikely based on the location but then my brother conveniently moved to Frederick. His time there ended up being rather short, but I was able to get it in before he moved. My sister-in-law and I enjoyed an absolutely lovely joint pre-birthday brunch. Both of our first courses were absolutely perfect for summer and dishes that I could eat everyday. I loved my Maytag blue cheese based dessert as I would choose cheese over a sweet dessert any day. But that said, I did still love our special birthday dessert!
Beets, avocado, yellowfin tuna, pickled roses, kaffir lime
Scallops, yuzu, kohlrabi, calabrian chili
Kennebec potato hash, braised pork, salsa roja, fried hen egg
Sticky bun, raisin, honey lavender
Donuts, cinnamon sugar
Lamb loin, la ratte potato, baby carrot, piquillo peppers, parsnip
Maytag bleu, cashew, apple, honey
Coconut, white chocolate, yuzu
Happy Birthday to us!
I’m trying very hard to cross everything off of my Brooklyn to-do list before the L shutdown. I’m so glad that I finally made it to Four Horsemen and all of the great things I had heard from many friends were completely accurate. Really great food but perhaps more importantly an absolutely fantastic staff. Not pictured are the many wines that we tried representing all spot-on suggestions from our server. I feel like I was the last person I know to make it here but if you haven’t been, go!
warm house bread, cultured butter
black bass crudo, carrot dashi, puffed rice, cilantro
beef tartare, seeds, buttermilk, sesame cracker
snap pea salad, calabrian chili, cashews, mint, ricottaa salata
grilled bavette steak, ramps, asparagus, cress
Le Bernardin
I know I am completely spoiled because I can drop into Le Bernardin for lunch any time that I want.
New Englander – Boodles gin, cranberry, yuzu juice
Sea Scallop – slivers of sea scallop, shaved fennel, citrus vinaigrette
Carrot Soup – Maine lobster, yuzu foam
Striped Bass – baked striped bass, sweet potato, sofrito sauce
Merluza – sauteed Merluza, pea shoots, shitake mushroom broth
Peruvian Chocolate – warm chocolate cake, caramelized fig, spiced chocolate ice cream
Sorbet
Nougatine
While this fantastic classic burger was all that I had, I found it particularly noteworthy because of the amount of ketchup served on the side. As someone who can easily polish off a bottle of ketchup in two sittings I am always disappointed when I order fries and end up with one of those sad small stainless cups that is half full. As crazy as it sounds I will go back for this burger on the basis of the ketchup quantity alone. Finally somebody has gotten this right!
Buvette
An early evening stop for one of my favorite cocktails the Sidecar. Incidentally one of my dad’s favorites as well so I suppose fitting that I am writing this on Father’s Day.
Employees Only
The last two times I attempted to go to Employees Only I couldn’t get in so for once got their prior to opening. Within 5 minutes of doors every seat was taken. And I basically just don’t get it. These cocktails were good, but as no ingredients were measured, even before taking a sip I didn’t expect them to be anything great.
Untitled
I seem to think about Untitled only when its warm enough to sit outside and not in other months so it sometimes falls off of my radar. Like other USHG spots it is just incredibly solid. No earth shattering dishes but just consistently really really good with excellent service.
Octopus, marinated radicchio, preserved lemon
Smoked arctic char mousse, fennel, rye toast
Pulled pork lettuce wraps, fried oyster, peanut miso
Cured fluke, kohlrabi, cara cara orange
Baby lettuce, spring onion, feta
Roasted and fried chicken, polenta, swiss chard
Cheese Plate
Sticky toffee cake, oranges, earl grey
Santina
And why not have a nitecap of one of my absolute favorite things in NYC? Lamb tartare cecina.
Each time that I visit Jockey Hollow I wish that I lived closer. On this particular date luckily a family get-together put me about half way there and so seemed like a perfect excuse for another meal in the Dining Room. I hate to repeat previous posts so I can summarize to say that this was a fantastic meal as always. My favorite dish turned out to be the one that on paper should have been my least favorite – the gnocchi with oysters and white asparagus, the latter two ingredients ones that I generally dislike. I love when that happens. But the two other pastas incorporating one of my absolute favorite ingredients – spring peas – were a close second. If you haven’t been here yet do yourself a favor and go!
Grilled Spanish Octopus – eggplant, black olive and ‘nduja
Buffalo Milk Giuncata – spring produce, toasted yeast and romaine vinaigrette
Fluke Crudo – caper gremolata and vegetables sott’aceto
Squid Ink Garganelli – sliced calamari, neonata and bottarga
Spring Pea Agnolotti – king crab, asparagus and bernaise
Sheep’s Milk Gnocchi – Forth North oysters, white asparagus and crispy speck
Lamb Confit Cappellacci – spring pea broth, mint and pecorino pepato
Dry Aged Filet Mignon – potato puree, grilled romaine, ramps, and tendon ragu
Poached black bass – salsify, wild mushrooms, bulgur wheat and saffron nage
Kurobuta Pork Filet – roasted carrot, mushroom ragu and baby turnips
Sicilian Pistachio Tart – pistachio brittle, lemon curd and honey ice cream
Chocolate Date Cake – coffee anglaise, cacao nibs, and buttermilk sorbet
Creme Caramel – carrot pecan cake, coconut sorbet and toffee sauce
Cardamom Rice Pudding – poached rhubarb and rhubarb sorbet
I suppose good timing that I was able to visit before their kitchen fire but not good timing to finally be posting this now. This may have been some of my favorite giardiniera and I would absolutely have a double order on my next visit. And while in photos the burger patty appears to be a bit too ‘perfect’ I thought it was quite good and I loved the ramp butter. Fingers crossed that it will re-open soon.
Giardiniera
Salvation Burger – roasted ramp butter, taleggio cheese
I admittedly had been waiting to finish this post thinking that maybe Osteria Francescana would move up to #1 on the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2016. A huge congratulations! And this was clearly the best reservation I made in 2016. I thought Osteria Francescana would be on my bucket list forever but the stars aligned during a week in Florence and a very trusting friend didn’t ask questions and just went along with my dining plans. Perhaps it was the long drive, or having to park outside of the city walls and walk to the restaurant, but I think I arrived more excited with anticipation than I have been in a long time. The night before we debated the two menu options online but were thrilled to find a third option which combined the best of both. The beverage pairings included my favorite cocktail of the year thus far and I’m still trying to track down all of the ingredients. It was also by far the most memorable pairing I’ve ever had. I loved so many of these dishes especially because of the quirky names and the stories behind them and because Massimo Bottura’s personality just seals the whole meal. That and those foie truffle macaroons.
Misery and Nobility
Lentils are better than caviar
Mackerel, suckling pig and saffron
Gnocchi as tzatziki salad
Mediterranean en papillons
Autumn in New York
Five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano in different textures and temperatures
The crunchy part of the lasagna
This little piggy went to the marker
Croccantino of foie gras
Caesar salad in bloom
Oops! I dropped the lemon tart
The setting of Querceto di Castellina is exactly what one imagines Tuscany to look and feel like. After a tour of the property we enjoyed this fantastic lunch and tasting on the porch with an absolutely beautiful view. Perhaps it was somewhat influenced by the setting, but the lasagna was absolutely perfect, as was the rest of our meal but that lasagna I’m still thinking about weeks later. And as chianti seems best paired with food, this was an even better tasting experience than just drinking chianti alone. A big thank you to Mary for being such a wonderful hostess and you are very lucky that your future mother-in-law is such an amazing cook. I only wish we had taken more rose with us as it did not last very long! Such a absolutely memorable day.
I really never thought I would ever make it to the very tiny town of Panzano in Chianti to visit Officina della Bistecca. I have been lucky enough to attend a few events in NYC with Dario Cecchini and had always hoped to make it here, but it just always seemed too far out of the way. Luckily the stars aligned and I found myself here for perhaps the most fun lunch I have ever experienced. I believe I am missing photos of a few courses although the photos do not do this justice in the same way that some of the best bands live do not sound nearly as good recorded. As expected the meat was fantastic and for the first time since arriving in Tuscany several days earlier I came to appreciate Chianti. And if there were no witnesses I would have finished the entire olive oil cake.
Beef tartar
Seared rump carpaccio
Bone-in rib eye or strip steak
Panzanese steak
T-bone or Porterhouse steak
Garden vegetables
special salt
Tuscan beans with evoo
baked potatoes
Chianti “butter”
Tuscan bread
Vittorio’s wine
Evoo cake
Grappa
(Approximate names as the cuts are particular to Tuscany)
Sffh
We had planned to just hang out in the lobby of the Chambers long enough to have a drink while waiting for Ma Peche to open. But our server was fabulous and our seats quite comfortable so we decided to stay for a few snacks. One of the few bright spots in midtown and I am guilty of always forgetting about it.
midtown collins – gin, calamansi, elderflower
smoked trout dip, seven spice, chicharron
bbq brisket buns, coleslaw, smoked mayonnaise, pickled jalapeños
broccoli salad, sunflower seeds, miso, lime
Such an unexpectedly great dinner at Pomona Bistro in downtown Sarasota. I certainly see why some of my family visits regularly. In certain cities I just don’t expect to find excellent food or service but this meal certainly had both. And of course the added bonus of my first time having antelope. I’m not sure why it is not more popular and I don’t think I’ve even seen it on a menu before or I would have ordered it. A definite treat!
Sea Scallops – Tatsoi-Mizuna salad, blood oranges, avocado
Romaine lettuce, caesar dressing, sunny side up quail eggs surrounded by brioche
Broken Arrow Ranch sous vide antelope, sherry-date sauce, local vegetables
Tart
On those days when you feel absolutely dreadful chicken soup is an absolute necessity and Bouchon Bakery’s has to be the best in NYC. A glass of wine, a lovely view and a fantastic salad later the day was much brighter.
Chicken soup
Salmon salad – Scottish salmon, quinoa, market vegetables, hazelnuts, house vinaigrette
I have had a wonderful time at all of the wine dinners I have attended in Montclair organized by local wine shop Amanti Vino. But this one I was definitely most excited about attending having greatly enjoyed quite a few Roagna wines (and my favorite being the Barolo Chianto). Luca Roagna is so energetic and engaging and it was an absolute pleasure to be able to hear him talk about these wines. This was my first visit to Laurel & Sage and I would definitely go back!
Duck confit ravioli – caramelized mushroom, black truffle emulsion
Paired with 2008 Paje & 2010 Paje
Lamb ragu – semolina pappardelle, goat cheese
Paired with 2005 Pira (magnum) and 2010 Pira
Veal chop – panzanella, gorgonzola, foie demi
Paired with 2006 Barolo “Vigna Rionda”
Belgian dark chocolate sampling
Paired with NV Barolo Chianto
Perhaps Easter Sunday was not the best time to venture out at all but I thought this would be a safe choice in the otherwise mobbed Chelsea Market and it was fairly empty. While the food was fine, although not on par with my last visit, it was impossible to get a second glass of wine. Either you have table service or one has to order at the bar but switches mid-stream are not cool and if you don’t want me to spend any more money, baffling but your loss.
Sopressata
Jasper Hill Blue
Farro & cauliflower salad – sage brown butter, dried cherry, goat cheese, hazelnut, sherry vinaigrette
I was going to pretend this whole experience did not happen and not include it on this blog at all. But the show I went to see was fantastic, so thankfully there was something redeeming about Cafe Carlyle other than the entertainment and company. My pre-show cocktail in Bemelmans was perfect, albeit it overpriced. There was a $75 minimum for the show and in retrospect I should have just spent it all on drinks. The shrimp cocktail I ordered was an insulting $28, or $5.60 per shrimp. Yet it seemed a better option than the salads which were nearly as expensive and looked pitiful. My steak frites was overcooked and was an even more insulting $59. At Minetta Tavern the excellent steak frites is currently $36. And even at Balthazar which is too touristy but more classic, the steak frites only comes in at $41. I clearly have no problem spending a lot of money on food but when the price is so completely unjustified based on the food quality and service (which frankly sucked) I can’t help but think of the things I would have rather spent this money on. Its really sad that a NY classic is not even trying.
Sidecar
Jumbo shrimp cocktail
Steak frites – grilled 12 oz. rib eye, julienne fries, chimichurri
The service at La Pecora Bianca has come a very long way since opening. I’m very glad that I gave it another try and I can see this ending up in my regular rotation following workouts in the neighborhood. I absolutely loved the Cortina cocktail and the bartender was lovely enough to provide me with the recipe. I have already made it several times at home.
Cortina – Greylock gin, lime, maraschino, fernet branca
Fluke crudo – oro blanco citrus, radish, pink peppercorn
Farro insalate – apple, arugula, goat cheese, pomegranate, pistachio, pickled onions
Cheese
I could not miss a chance to have Maison Premiere cocktails without having to cross a river. And of course there was the added plus of missing the traditional St. Patrick’s day crowds. Thinking we would never be able to get seats at the bar and wouldn’t be eating, I didn’t take pictures of the food menus and so cannot recall exactly what we had. However the first dish from Maison Premiere’s menu was fantastic. The two others were from the Chef’s Club menu and quite good as well.
If asked to pick one word to describe Gunshow it would have to be fun. I absolutely love the dim sum concept when well executed. And while I’m assuming there had to be quite a bit of influence from State Bird Provisions, Gunshow never feels like its copying but it just executing in a different way that is just as entertaining. The menu is presented ahead of time but you don’t know in what order the dishes will arrive (except for the dessert options when you have finally signaled an end to your savory choices). In an added twist, the chef responsible for each dish is the one who passes it around the dining room which made me feel quite guilty when I had to say no to a few. But seeing the menu ahead of time also messes with your head a bit because based on menu alone I would have turned down a few dishes that my dining companion chose and ended up being my favorites of the night. The cocktail cart was an unexpected surprise, but afterwards I couldn’t help but think that of course they would have a cocktail cart. I probably haven’t had banana pudding in at least 20 years and I hope it makes a broader comeback if every version could be this good. I absolutely cannot wait to get back here.
Ginza Highball – scotch, shiso genepy, sesame honey, pickled ginger, yuzu & absinthe ice
Scandinavian sour – botanical gin, aquavit, peychaud’s, dill, ligonberry, lemon, celery
Peruvian style beef short rib
“Radishes & Butter”
Corned beef tongue “Reuben,” fried russian sauce, caramelized kraut
Tartare de boef de kobe avec frites 
Berkshire pork belly bulgogi
Smoked trout pierogi, potato, marinated beet jelly
Wild caught cobia crudo, spring peas, smoked mussels, lemon
Warm old fashioned banana pudding
An absolutely perfect night for dining outdoors at Miller Union, especially when coming from the quite cold northeast. I wish I remembered my server’s name because he was absolutely fantastic. Incredibly knowledgable and perfectly attentive without rushing me in any way. The signature farm egg baked in celery cream may have been a bit messy but was certainly delicious and its easy to see how this became a signature dish. And while not visible in my pictures, the coconut and pork belly rice accompanying my entree was amazing and perhaps should have been a side dish on its own as I wanted more. So glad that I finally made it here!
English bloodhound – gin, campari, grapefruit
farm egg baked in celery crew, grilled bread
grilled pork loin, coconut & pork belly rice, bok choy, scallion, pineapple
kale, escarole, apple, celery & pecan salad
cheese
Wildair
Still one of my absolute favorites and I love being able to bring friends who haven’t been here before. Although I admittedly wish it wasn’t quite so popular as even a few minutes after opening you are lucky to get a seat.
Beef tartare, smoked cheddar, chestnut
Tallow roasted beets, kumquat
Bass crudo, pineaple, nduja
Ko
And for dinner number 2 of the evening, on to my other favorite for the bar menu at Ko. I cannot say enough how much I love this place. Perhaps the most complete package of great food and hospitality in New York. And foie 2.0 gives the original some serious competition.
And rounding out a week of places that it has taken me far too long to return to is Shuko. So many fantastic dishes on this menu and despite the length I never felt like it was too much. With so many similar concepts opening in NY which could conceivably become copycats, I appreciate that none feel that way. And as wacky as it still sounds, the apple pie dessert continues to be so incredibly good.
I have no explanation for why I haven’t been here for a year other than there are just too many choices in New York and I often am travelling too much. I completely forget how good it is. And another completely fantastic chicken dish which would typically be my last choice on a menu but I have found so many good ones lately. Far too dark for decent photos though!
Negroni
Lamb crudo – olive oil & chives
Beet – ricotta salata
Roasted squash – marscarpone, pumpkin seeds
Mista insalata – mixed winter greens, peppadew peppers, pomegranate, apple, Morini vinaigrette
Pollo al Mattone – brick oven roasted chicken, gaeta olives, lemon, potatoes
As with so many places it has been far too long since I have visited Cookshop and I need to make a point of getting here more often. An absolutely lovely lunch and surprisingly fantastic chicken.
Radishes & butter
Mezze – broccoli rabe, cauliflower, roasted carrots, red cabbage slaw, beets & naan
Chicken breast salad
Radicchio and citrus salad
I wish I could say that service has improved but at least the breakfast and lunch menu has remained consistently fantastic. Since Sadelle’s has opened I have eaten more bagels than in the last 5+ years. However it is best to stick to weekdays and avoid at all costs on the weekend. What a complete zoo.
House beets
Smoked Scottish Salmon
The tricolore splendido salad has been one of my favorite things at Santina but evidently I haven’t ordered it for a while as I had no idea that they had been playing around with the plating. Some things are better left alone. When the dish arrived I was initially confused by not seeing the tuna on the top and thought it was forgotten. The percentage of olives was much higher than it used to be and overall this salad was somehow terrible. Please revert to the original version. Thankfully my server replaced it with the squash carpaccio which is always fantastic and removed it from the check.
Gamberetti cecina – rock shrimp, chickpeas
Tricolore splendido salad – tuna carpaccio
Squash carpaccio – winter squash, honey agrodolce
One again it took someone from out of town to get me somewhere that I have been meaning to visit since it opened. Yes I have looked for reservations a multitude of times but never far enough in advance or with the same effort that I put forth when traveling. I have clearly been missing out. Every piece was fantastic and when asked it was almost impossible to pick a favorite. But I will always remember this meal for changing my mind about uni. I keep trying to like it and just don’t, but the Japanese version I had here seemed like something else entirely and I absolutely loved it. It will be difficult to return to trying to like other inferior versions.
While I agree with many points in the recent Nishi reviews, despite the flaws I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner there and will be back as soon as I land another reservation (although in spring having to wait is much more tolerable). I am still thinking about the Chitarra pasta and that rarely happens to me. I’m looking forward to seeing how this place grows in the next six months as already off to a very good start.
Alsatian – amer, vermouth, cider
Beef Crudo – watermelon radish, dashi ponzu
Romaine & Walnut Bagna Cauda
Chitarra – squid, xo, fresh & fermented chili
pistachio bunt cake
It has been quite a while since I’ve been to Mission Cantina and I must admit it will probably be a while until I return again. First our server completely disappeared after taking our drink order and was finally replaced by someone else. And then we were basically pushed out the door the second we finished eating. I can’t help but feel that they are trying a bit too hard to fulfill a LES dive aesthetic. I have no issues with the concept of that but at some point certain dishes, such as the guacamole, did not even look appetizing.
I must admit I love the chandelier and the juxtaposition with the neon menu.
Guacamole
Special of the day and it was fantastic
Crab rangoons
Broccoli oyster sauce
General Tso’s chicken
It doesn’t matter how long I am in NYC, there will always be an endless list of restaurants that I somehow haven’t been to. I’m not sure how Brushstroke eluded me for so long but glad I finally got here. Definitely a bit of a hidden gem in Tribeca.
Sakizuke – Pacific oyster and uni, fresh green seaweed Nagoriyuki lemon foam
Nimonowan – rabbit pate sakura-mochi in rabbit dashi broth, hearts of palm
Today’s sashimi six kinds
Hashiyasume – hedgehog mushroom chawanmushi, truffle-ankake
Hassun – Japanese red snapper, sakura sushi, scottish salmon lemon yuan-yaki, Portugal octopus dill mustard vinegar miso
Shiizakana – Colorado lamb sakura-yaki, satoimo puree, red wine reduction sauce
Stewed Oregon washu-beef, yuba-ankake
If only brunch everywhere could be this good. The elvis tartine was spectacular and I have to wonder why everybody isn’t doing this? Great ceviche, how can you go wrong with candied bacon and even the quiche, which isn’t typically my thing, was really really good. And there were quite a few other things on the menu I wish I had the room to order. I was looking forward to a return trip for dinner, but then I would miss the tartine so maybe I will stick to brunch!
ceviche – poached shrimp, coconut milk leche de tigre, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro
candied applewood smoked bacon, brown sugar
‘elvis’ tartine – nut & seed butter, bananas, pepitas, whole wheat bread, vanilla bean salt
vegetable quiche – caramelized onions, poblano peppers, cotija, creme fraiche, green lettuces
‘calentado’ – braised pork shoulder, rice & beans, sweet plantains, chimmi churri, sunny up eggs
Blackbrick Chinese
I loved this place so much on my first visit and couldn’t wait to come back. For once I did not have to do any of the ordering which was completely amazing as it is always my role. Because of that I have no idea really what any of these dishes are. Perhaps I knew a month ago but now I haven’t a clue (well except for the beans which I insisted upon and which I could eat every single day).
Alinea Miami at the Faena Hotel
Perhaps it has taken me so long to complete this post because I haven’t been able to sort out what to even write. I was prepared to be completely disappointed by this dinner as when Alinea popped up at EMP in NYC I was completely thrown by having Alinea food in a different space. Until then I had not realized how much the physical space was a part of the experience. Also looking at some pictures from the pop up a month prior in Madrid many of the dishes were ones I had already had. But I do often say that its best to have low expectations so that you can only be pleasantly surprised. Then of course there is the Faena hotel which is completely over-the-top in every way. And I must digress for a second to note that the service is truly fantastic. Before beginning dinner I visited the hotel ladies room which had a multitude of stalls and every garbage can was empty and all toilet paper folded into perfect points. Alinea standards and suddenly it somehow all made sense. I love how the dining room light fixture reflects in the majority of my photos as it perfectly sums up the experience and in a way was good preparation for Alinea 2.0. I was completely surprised by how local parts of this menu felt as I simply didn’t think there was time to reinvent too much. Of particular note, of the many versions of this menu’s beef dish that I have had, this was far and away my favorite. I truly hope this wasn’t my last BTE or hot potato/cold potato, but if so they went out in style. Very much looking forward to the next chapter.
Hot Dog – welcome to Chicago
Osetra – plantain, papaya, rum
Guiso De Maiz – chorizo, tomato, pumpkin seed
Snapper – bouillabaisse, miro june 2, 1973
Moqueca – tiger’s milk, coconut, citrus vapor
Crab – cucumber, vanilla, green curry
Pig Ear – tamarind, watermelon, szechuan
Siam Sunray – lemongrass, chili, soda
Hot Potato – cold potato, black truffle, butter
Duck – ginger, yogurt, gold
Rose – on roses
Beef – chimichurri, lettuce cores, red onion
Black Truffle – explosion, parmesan, cabbage
Bacon – butterscotch, apple, thyme
Balloon – helium, green apple
Chocolate – banana, fernet branca, dulce de leche (Photo truly not representative of how this looked when plated but we got to talking and parts started to melt before I was able to take a picture)
Michaels Genuine Food & Drink
I don’t think I have ever visited Miami and not dined at Michael’s Genuine. I’m not quite sure how it became my go-to place but I suppose that years ago it completely stood out as one of the best places in the city. Every time I come back its just crazy to see how much the Design District has changed. Consistently solid and I always love their off the street outdoor dining.
falafel – tahini sauce & pickled red onions
golden tilefish ceviche – tangerine, crispy hominy, cucumber, red onion, avocado, cilantro
yellowfin tuna tartare – green tomato, shallots, smoked olive oil, mete lemon aioli, potato chips
roasted broccoli salad – shaved vegetables, quinoa, preserved meyer lemon, tahini dressing
caramelized onion pizza – cave aged gruyere, mozzarella, tomato sauce, thyme, chili flakes
Broken Shaker
Perhaps its just because I prefer to be drinking and dining outdoors, but I love the original Broken Shaker much more than its Chicago version even though they did manage to achieve a similar vibe in completely different settings. However when I tried to order off menu, I ended up with the drink I was debating just minus one ingredient. It was one of those times that an actual conversation with the bartender would have been useful as I really just wanted something ‘like’ one of the drinks on the menu.
Alter
First a congratulations to Chef Kilgore on being one of this year’s Food & Wine Best New Chefs, an honor which has prompted me to finally finish this post. Overall this was a really great dinner and I think Alter has an immense amount of promise. It was too bad that we visited just before the outdoor bar opened as this is a very small space and there was nowhere to wait but on the sidewalk when earlier reservations ran late. This visit was also slightly after the James Beard semi-finalist nominations came out so perhaps it was busier than usual. But after being seated very late we waited quite a while for a server to appear at all. It was very dark so unfortunately these are not the best photographs. The soft egg was absolutely fantastic and I think on a return visit I would absolutely order two. I’m missing a description of the strawberry dessert but loved it (and the first course as well). I’m looking forward to seeing how this place evolves over the next year.
shaved cobia – vetrano olive snow, rice masago, green mustard oil, garlic dashi
soft egg – sea scallop espuma, chive, truffle pearls, gruyere, caviar
udon noodle – porcini sabayon, rabbit confit, blistered scallion, shiitake
grouper cheeks – black rice, shoyu hollandaise, sea lettuces
glazed short rib – grits, red onion caramel, wild garlic oil, smoked peanuts
strawberry ??
meringue
A terrible snowy night to trek to Brooklyn and on the walk from the subway I was wondering what the heck I was thinking. But I absolutely loved my visit to the Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs last year and was quite excited for this collaboration dinner. Plus it has been far too long since I have been to Luskus. I could have eaten a complete meal of the chicken skin and was thrilled to have it again. It was an utter surprise that my favorite dish of the night was the one I thought I would hate – balsamic, truffle, artichoke. All individual components that I love, but cold the thought was immediately terrible. It somehow took me back many many years to when I first had the olive oil gelato at Otto. I would love to do this entire dinner over again.
beetroot, salsify, dulse
razor clam, blood orange, fennel
beef tartare, purple daikon, laver
chicken skin, rosemary mascarpone, bacon
sea scallop, ginger
Ryan and the Gosling – Evid Twin/Crooked Stave
shrimp, walnut, tarragon
Sasuga – Oxbow
roasted sunchoke, rye, dulse
sea bass, onion, nettle
squab, damson, hay, rye
lamb breast, salted plum, rutabaga
balsamic, truffle, artichoke
carrot, bay leaf, licorice
Au Cheval
Where else to start a whirlwind one day tour of some of my favorite places in Chicago than at Au Cheval? I know I have had burger blinders on for years and have largely ignored the rest of the menu venturing only as far as the raw vegetable salad. A huge thank you to our server who told us that the beef cheek marmalade could be ordered as a side dish. How I have lived without this I don’t know. Next time I may thrown caution to the wind and add it to my burger.
pickles
beef cheek marmalade and toast
cheeseburger with egg and bacon
Cold Storage
Some travel days call for a double lunch, and not only a double lunch but going big with the large seafood tower. After visiting Swift & Sons a few weeks prior I was looking forward to checking out its more casual inner restaurant. Fantastic hospitality. How we ate this all I don’t know.
Chicago Athletic Association
For years before the Chicago Athletic Association opened as a hotel, I looked at the amazing facade from across Michigan Avenue on many of the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s walking tours. I just love everything they have done to maintain the original details and character and can’t help but walk through whenever I pass it. Unfortunately the cocktails in the grand lobby were far from fantastic, but ambience almost made up for it.
Sidecar and Negroni 
Aviary
As anybody who reads this blog likely knows, Aviary is my favorite place in Chicago. Not only have I met many people here who have become incredible friends, but I am always blown away by something new on the menu. I am always nervous bringing somebody new here, afraid that they won’t like it as much as I do or I have talked it up too much. But when the person gets it and is as excited about the experience as I always am, these are the best visits of all. Many, many pictures missing somehow.
Loaded to the Gunwalls
Next Alps
This was an absolutely frigid day which made the Next Alps menu the perfect dinner. A very fun menu separated into six sections – the French farmhouse, the German beer hall, the warming yurt, the top of the Swiss mountain, intro to Italy and Austrian sweets. While there wasn’t necessarily one stand out dish for me as there has been on previous menus, anytime you can have raclette is special and this is definitely a menu that I would happily repeat.
stone soup
gratin of Beaufort and trumpet crozets
game pie
tourton of salsify and apple
gateau de St. Genix avec du beurre de chevre
pork belly schnitzel with cherry and black walnut
pretzel, sausages and pickles
Raclette with potatoes, fermented mustard greens, chestnuts, and black truffles
Augustiner Brau Edelstoff lager
chocolate with black truffle and milk crisp
preserved summer berries with cognac and honey
smoked arctic char with cauliflower and juniper
goulash of beef and Barolo with sour cornbread
bitter green salad with pomegranate and fennel ice
Salzburger nockerl
pie spiced ice cream
apple strudel with clove and cinnamon
And as if this wasn’t enough in one day, missing from the photos are cocktails at Grace as well as post dinner in the Office.
I had been putting off a visit to the new Mission Chinese probably because its seems such a trek to the outer edge of the LES. While the design is certainly exceedingly better than version 1.0, it is sad as Rosette, the previous restaurant in this space, was beautiful. It took me a bit to get past it, but when I finally did I realized how much I missed the food. I order a green papaya salad everywhere that has one and this one of the best. I have though had enough of the trend of a restaurant bringing out more dishes at once than will fit on the table. I realize this is easier for the kitchen than having to actually course out and appropriately time the meal and I conceptually don’t mind. But I don’t want to speed eat so that a plate can be removed to make room for my water glass. Nor do I appreciate a server looking at me as if I am supposed to somehow magically make the table twice as big and rearrange all of the plates for them. I don’t know what the solution is but its getting to be intolerable.
Tingling negroni – gin, pinecone liqueur, tingling oil, aperol, cynar
Green papaya salad – smoked chicken, green tomatoes, pickled tea leaves, peanuts
Green tea noodles – ginger, scallion, hoisin, matcha
Broccoli beef brisket – baby chinese broccoli, house made oyster sauce, seeds
Hokkaido scallop sashimi – kombu bured, grapefruit, nori
Lucky Bee has to be one of the most cramped restaurants in NYC and after trying to navigate to the bathroom I gained an entirely new appreciation for the servers. Another fun option on the LES but after using Reserve to book and making my friends sign up so that we could split the bill through the app, it was disappointing that we couldn’t pay this way.
Steamed pork and sesame dumplings, chinese black vinegar, black bean, fried garlic
Tuna tartare, roast chili & shallot, lime, popped wild rice
Green papaya salad, tamarind & lime, toasted peanuts, snake beans
Smashed cucumbers, dill pickle, fried peanuts, sweet rice vinegar, coconut milk
Spiced massaman curry of lamb shoulder, kipfler potato, pineapple vinegar
This may be the year of beef tartare in NYC. Oiji’s version definitely gives Wildair’s a run for its money. Perhaps the most beautiful beef tartare I’ve had and I could have eaten two easily. But as completely different I will refrain from picking a favorite. While a heavily instagramed dish this year (and how I don’t know as the it was so dark), the “Chil-jeol-pan” unfortunately seemed a bit flavorless. Perhaps a victim of the success of the tartare and extremely flavorful kimchi and mackerel.
Mother Flower – Hibiscus Hwayo 41, Cocchi Americano, Genepy, Chartreuse 
Kimchi
Beef Tartare with Ramp Aioli
“Chil-jeol-pan” Seven Flavors
Pine Leaves Smoked Mackerel with Citrus Soy
For as many fantastic views and great dining rooms that there are in Chicago, North Pond perhaps has the most perfect setting. Unfortunately I seem to only make it here in bad weather, but even so its beautiful. This really has to be the best brunch in the city.
Arctic Char, Beets – chilled smoked char, red, gold, chioggia beets, ruby grapefruit, fennel, horseradish creme, filberts
Beef, Sprouts – charred flatiron steak, parsnip brûlée, roasted brussels sprouts, bordelaise gel, grain mustard, slaw
Squash, Cranberry – pumpkin spiced kabocha tartelette, cinnamon creme, cranberry puree, sage sherbet, candied orange
Mfk
I will wait for my next trip to definitively say it but this may be my new favorite in Chicago. Exactly the type of food I could eat every day. So bright and crisp that even with sausage I did not feel guilty at all afterwards. And its always a good sign when its nearly impossible to make a decision about what to order because I wanted everything.
ceviche, poblano guacamole, squid ink tostada
squid, chinese pork sausage, cashew vinaigrette
poached shrimp, green papaya, cucumber, sugar snap peas
Swift & Sons
After looking at this building for years while waiting for a cab after leaving Aviary and then watching it defrost, I couldn’t wait to see what this building had been transformed into. An absolutely gorgeous (and quite huge) dining room. For as much as I love a great steak, I seem to rarely go to steakhouses as I am typically disappointed. My aged ny strip was fantastic, as were all of the vegetables as well as the shellfish platter (with the much appreciated heavy side of horseradish).
cold shellfish platter
broccolini, sauce gribiche
roasted mushrooms, porcini aioli, crouton
roasted carrots
dry aged bone in strip
boston cream pie – vanilla bean cream, bittersweet chocolate, yellow sponge cake
black bottom pudding – black cocoa crumble, baked dark chocolate mousse, milk chocolate pudding, white chocolate sorbet
A trip to Chicago never seems to feel complete without a visit to Nico. When it opened this quickly became one of my favorites and there is rarely a weekend I am in town and don’t end up here. Just consistently fantastic.
Kanpachi & snapper crudo
Brussels Sprouts Bruschetta – stracciatella cheese, lemon honey, trufflebert hazelnuts
Seared Tuna salad – avocado, pistachio, orange, basil, poppyseed vinaigrette
If only I did not have to work I could easily slip into a ladies who lunch upper east side lifestyle and Vaucluse is a perfect spot. The poireaux vinaigrette completely lived up to my very high expectations after reading several rave reviews of this dish. I’m not sure that I could order anything else from the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu when I return. The Vaucluse version of the white label burger is actually a perfect French take on the original white label burger. But I must admit that I love the original white label burger much more so it looks like a lunch visit to Ai Fiori is in the cards very soon. Apologies but bacon marmalade beats tomato jam every time. 🙂
Poireaux Vinaigrette – grilled leeks, toasted almonds, mustard seed vinaigrette
White Label Burger – aged beef blend, fontine cheese, tomato jam, dijonnaise, frites
In the past few months Ko has quickly become on of my absolute favorites in NYC. Often I stop by just for a drink as I feel a bit guilty indulging in tasting menus too often when I’m not traveling. I love when any restaurant can take a food that I typically am not crazy about and make me love it. On this menu for instance, I generally dislike razor clams, uni and monkfish. But these particular preparations are outstanding. As I’m writing this post 6 weeks later the menu has already undergone several changes which means that its fortunately time for another visit. #firstworldproblems
potato waffle. pommes soufflees. lobster paloise. millefeuille.
madai – consomme, shiso, fingerlime
scallop – tonburi, citron
uni – chickpea, hozon
razor clam – apple, basil
beef – rutabaga, green peppercorn
caviar – potato, fermented radish
monkfish – liver, poblano
pyramidi – broccoli, aged cheddar
venison – kale, olive berry
foie gras – lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly
carrot cardamom – meringue 
chocolate – mint, fernet branca
Macaroon 
I love having this place on the west side of the Hudson. Consistently absolutely delicious and I cannot stop thinking about the butter. Until next time….
Market Plate
Bread and Butter
Project Hazelnut – fresh mozzarella, Rutgers University hazelnuts, ricotta, local honey
Budino variation
Babu Ji
Its rare that I will arrive at a restaurant prior to opening and wait in line to get in. Far too often its not worth it. Luckily in this case it absolutely was. We opted for the Chef’s table menu which was a great way to try a multitude of dishes, especially the entrees. The only problem is that I don’t know what many of these dishes were over a month later. The only thing I do know is that I may order double of the Butter Chicken on my next visit.
Mace
I’ve been meaning to get here for a while. Fantastic cocktails and a lovely atmosphere earlier in the evening. Looking at my pictures, perhaps it was just by chance, but is everything in a coupe?
My first trip to Benoit for lunch was a success so I decided to give it a try for dinner as it was in the necessary location for this particular evening. A lovely pate en croute and I haven’t had escargots since the Next Bistro menu in early 2015. Its always great to have solid midtown options as I am often too ‘down’ on the neighborhood.
Pate en croute 
Escargots, garlic & parsley butter
Hanger steak, frites & bordelaise sauce
From now on my Santina posts will just consist of pictures because I’ve said it all before. Still one of my absolute favorites right now.
Kale sunchoke salad, pomegranate, sunflower seeds
Calabrian tuna and truffle egg salad cecina
Tortellini sorrentina, ricotta, pesto, marinara
Shrimp zingara, tomato, olive, caper
??
I absolutely love the Push Project dinners and am lucky enough to have attended almost all of them. I knew this combination of Albert Adria, Paco Mendez and Alex Stupak would be fantastic and it certainly was. Not to take anything away from the savory courses as it is impossible to even pick a favorite, but the desserts completely blew me away. This was a fairly long menu but I would have gladly had seconds of each one. I don’t even like tres leeches, but like so many things you just need to have an outstanding version to change your mind about a dish. And the frozen corn….outstanding.
As with most Push Projects timing was all over the place with some courses coming out on top of each other and then long pauses. But it is to be expected with this type of experience. In a first for NYC dining in small spaces, one member of our group had an entire beer poured down her back but our server couldn’t have been more apologetic and even went out and bought her a rose at the end of our meal. That is certainly hospitality. I can’t wait to see what the next Push Project brings as this one will be difficult to top. And thank you for now using Tock for booking. Much appreciated as the system is amazing and past reservation experiences were very unpleasant.
ALMEJAS DE SANGRE CON SANGRITA HIELO – Wellfleet Blood Clams with Frozen Sangria (HS)
ENCURTIDOS DE VERDURAS – Pickled Vegetables (HS)
ACEITUNAS DE CANTINA – Cantina Olives (HS)
JICARA DE ELOTE CON ACEITE DE QUELITES Y CHIPOTLE – Corn Jicara with Pipicha Oil and Chipotle (HS)
HOJA SANTA CRUJIENTE – Crunchy Hoja Santa (HS)
GAZPACHO DE AGUACATE – Avocado Gazpacho (HS)
QUESADILLA DE TRUFA NEGRA – Black Truffle Quesadilla (HS)
CEMITA DE MILANESA DE ABALONE – Mini Pueblan Style Sandwich with Fried Abalone (E)
CEVICHE DE RECADO NEGRO – Ceviche Recado Negro Under a Frozen Pond (HS)
CAMPECHANA – Mixed Seafood Cocktail with Spicy Ketchup (E)
CEBOLLA X-NI-PEK – Red Onion X-Ni-Pek (HS)
PIPIAN PAPANTECO CON LANGOSTA DE MAINE – Papantla Style Pipian with Maine Lobster (HS)
COSTILLA DE CERDO CON ADOBO DE LA ABUELA FLOR – Pork Ribs in Grandma Flor’s Adobo (HS)
MANCHAMANTELES – Mole with Sweet Potato and Fruit (E)
TRES LECHES – Milk Soaked Sponge Cake with Kabocha Squash and Pecan Ice (E)
MAIZ, CHOCOLATE, Y CAJETA – Corn, Chocolate, and Cajeta (HS)
FLAN DE CHICORIA CON YEMA DE PATO – Chicory Flan with Duck Egg Yolk (E)
SORBETE DE NARANJA CON SAL DE GUSANOS – Orange sorbet with Sal de Gusanos (E)
DBGB
I don’t always post about places where I stop for a pre or post dinner drink. But DBGB is one of my favorites whenever heading anywhere on the Lower East Side. While there are always interesting beers on draft we of course had to go for the ode to the boilermaker.
Wheat beer and grand mariner with tequila
Wildair
I have said it before, but I love Wildair. I only wish that so many others did not as well (ok not really I suppose from a financial point of view). It is not always possible to get there at opening and unfortunately I just don’t have the patience for the ridiculously long waits later in the evening. But I will still try my best to get here as frequently as possible.
Bread and olive oil
Sweet potato, ricotta, tahini, herbs
Beef tartare, smoked cheddar, chestnut
Black bass, pineapple, nduja
Persimmon, butternut, burrata, jalapeño
Pork milanese, gribiche, mustard greens
My first trip to the Modern after the changeover to service included and honestly I did not notice at all. I sometimes tend to forget to come here but am always pleasantly surprised when I do. For as much as I diss midtown in general there is no disputing that there are a number of fantastic lunch options.
Marinated Hamachi, pumpkin-yuzu vinaigrette
Seared Scallops, smoked shellfish, fennel and potatoes
Le Bernardin
The City Harvest lunch menu at Le Bernardin is the best kept secret in NYC. I should probably even stop writing about it! When I’ve found myself able to have lunch in midtown in the last few months I have tried to check out some other places. And while I’ve had very good meals elsewhere I will keep returning to Le Bernardin as my absolute favorite.
Hamachi – Hamachi Tartare, Cucumber, Lemon-Citrus Emulsion
Skate – Poached Skate, Pickled Shallots, Sea Beans, Cucumber, Verjus Sauce
Pear – Slow-Roasted Pear, “Beurre Noisette” Tuile, Pear William Frozen Parfait
O Ya
I had hesitated in visiting O Ya when it first opened as the price when compared to some other similar options seemed pretty high. We opted for the shorter 18 course omakase menu which my dining companion had a few times previously and which seemed to go quite quickly for so many bites. I couldn’t take notes quickly enough as the dishes came out and unfortunately there as no menu at the end. There were some totally fantastic things and perhaps some I didn’t enjoy as much just due to personal preference and not that they were not well executed. I probably would have enjoyed this meal a bit more if sitting at the counter instead of a booth (our fault not theirs). I’m not convinced that O Ya is good enough to warrant the price hike over Shuko but I’d gladly go back (if someone else is paying)!
Not pictured, but after all of this fish, I ended the night with a stop at Nomad Bar for a hot dog.
Gramercy Tavern
Gramercy Tavern somehow is always excellent and never disappoints. An added bonus that December is one of my favorite times to visit as their holiday decorations are absolutely gorgeous.
Arctic Char Tartare, Apple, Peanuts and Crispy Shallots
Ricotta Cavatelli, Braised Lamb, Kabocha Squash and Almonds
Porchlight
I wasn’t planning for this to be a USHG kind of day but there are only so many pre-show options when heading to Sleep No More. After having my first amaretto sour in 20 years last spring, I’m glad that the resurgence is continuing. The same could be said of the fantastic tater tots.
Amaretto sour
Boiled Peanut Hummus and Vegetables
Tater Tots
Avocado @ Crab Toast
I’m not sure if I will make it to in de wulf before they shutter at the end of the year so what a fantastic opportunity to have Kobe Desramualts’ food at this collaboration dinner with Contra. Definitely a longer menu than I was expecting and while the pacing wasn’t the best, it was actually better than I expect at any event where there rhythm of the kitchen is vastly disrupted. It seems so predictable to be my favorite course, but I could have eaten 4 more of the kerremelkstampers. I hope that Contra keeps doing these!
snails
beetroot, sloeberry yogurt
sea urchin, carrot, husk cherry
kohlrabi, scallop, green strawberry
mussel broth, charcoal roasted vegetables
kerremelkstampers, caviar
monkfish, celeriac, liver
red kuri squash, crab, egg yolk
lobster and homemade butter
persimmon, tangerines, bourbon
chocolate, sunchoke, beer
When one isn’t dressed for lunch at the lounge at Per Se, Bouchon Bakery is still a perfectly fine substitute. This may be one of the best pickle plates that I can remember having and overall a perfect lunch.
pickled vegetables
hearts of romaine, chicken breast, apples, bacon lardons, cider poached raisins, blue cheese, apple cider vinaigrette
I’m not quite sure why the original Carrino Provisions did not really catch on when Talde next door seems quite popular. And based on this one visit I’m not sure if the re-do into Bell & Gray will catch on either. Something about the front space just isn’t very cozy and when empty it seems VERY empty. Service was incredibly friendly and everything we ordered was good. But overall the menu leans a bit too sports bar or heavy for my personal taste. I would definitely go back but perhaps not as frequently as next door.
The Jazzy Jeff Flatbread – crushed avocado, confit tomato, corn, pickled red onion
Kale taco salad – salsa verde, cheddar, onion, cilantro crema, tomato, black olive
Shaved apple, roasted beet, peanuts, cheddar, cherry vinaigrette
Spare ribs – Dr. Pepper, black pepper, smoked paprika almonds
Crispy chicken wings, smoked molasses, chilis, gorgonzola ranch
Black zuchette, blue crab, garlic fondutta, jalapeño
iwillmakeualist 
